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Haul Out the Holly: Five Tips for Festive Small Space Christmas Decor

December 14, 2017

Decorating for holidays can be a bit of a challenge when you live in a smaller space. There are so many decoration options to bring the festive spirit but so little space to put them. Tiny home and apartment dwellers alike have to get creative to make the most of the space they have to not come across as a grinch. Here are some tips for getting your home into the holiday spirit, no matter how small.

Downsize the Tree

While the classic 7 foot tree full of lights and decorations is what many people have in mind when they think of Christmas trees, if you live in a small space, the fact is you’re probably going to have to downsize your tree. If there’s a spare corner you can look for an artificial tree designed to fit in corners, or just a narrow, less full tree. You could also opt for a more compact tabletop tree. You’ll still get the look of a classic tree, just shrunk down to fit on a table. You can then proceed to decorate as usual.

Move the Tree to the Wall

If you still can’t find the space for a tree, you can always put it on the wall. A flat tree may not have as much room under it for presents, but can still be a place to gather Christmas morning. One option is to find a fir tree tapestry to hang on the wall. Since it’s made of fabric you can still hang some decorations from it using tree hooks or pins. You can also create the outline of a tree with any number of different materials from Christmas lights to real evergreen branches. Decorating a flat tree has its challenges, but fans of Christmas decor always find a way to make it work.

Don’t Forget About Windows

If you live in a colder climate, you’re likely not going to be opening up your windows much this time of year, so don’t be afraid to dress them up with decorations. Lights in the window are always a nice touch, but you could also place wreaths in the windows, or hang other ornaments in the windows using suction cups. Candles (real or LED) in the window are also a classic Christmas decoration. Just be careful since a real candle and wreath combination could become a fire hazard.

Take Advantage of the Ceiling

The ceiling doesn’t have to be just for hanging mistletoe. Strings of lights hung from the ceiling will fill your space with Christmas cheer. You can also hang garland, strings of beads, or lightweight ornaments from the ceiling. This will bring the festive spirit to your home without taking up any floor space at all. Just make sure anything you hang from your ceiling still leaves enough clearance for people to walk through without hitting their heads or worrying about knocking down your decorations.

Find Multi-use Decorations

One of the unseen (to guests anyway) battles of holiday decor in a small space is finding a place to store everything once the holiday is over. To help with this, try to make the base of your holiday decorations things that can still be used or left up after Christmas. Plaid tablecloths, table runners, pillows, and throws can stay out all winter and still look appropriate. Snow or snowman themed decorations can also stay out through the winter months and not just December. Strings of white lights can be used year-round to bring some whimsical illumination to a space.

Sometimes you have to get a little creative when decorating a small space for the holidays. But luckily the holiday season has a lot of room for creativity and handcrafted solutions. Don’t be afraid to experiment with your decorations to figure out what works best with your space. It may not look like the holiday decor you grew up with, but you might stumble upon a look you like even better.